PB & J
by Midnight Insomniac
Summary: The way to a man's heart is through his stomach.


**A/N: Valentine's Day is tomorrow and I have so many ideas for NejiTen stories! Speaking of which, I hope you enjoy this one! **

**P.S. Inspired by a number of things, especially the epic blizzard that went through Chicago.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

…**..**

Neji chewed on his frowning lip as he drummed his fingers on his desk. His elbows, propped upon a haphazard pile of papers, threatened to collapse after supporting the weight of his head for nearly an hour. His visage was pensive, his eyes were narrowed, and his jaw was clenched. His furrowed brows and the wrinkled skin of his forehead spoke of immense irritation and anger. These corporate meetings were terribly humdrum in the Hyuuga's opinion, and he thanked the heavens for assigning him a seat in the back of the room. Otherwise, his sighs of boredom would surely reach his uncle's ears.

He realized he really shouldn't have come to the office that dreary February day. He had woken especially early that morning, sacrificing the safety of his bed and the warmth of his wife, to shovel away the two feet of snow clogging their driveway. And when he finished his task, half soaked, cold, and sickly, he found Tenten still in bed with a thermometer in her mouth. She had a high fever, and after much urging on his part, she finally agreed to rest. He cooked her a healthy breakfast, tucked her in, and even ran out and rented her favorite movies to keep her entertained. In between, Neji had dressed quickly, fearing a tardy mark on his prefect record, and finally, after planting an infinite amount of kisses on his wife's face and promising her he wouldn't stress over her health (a lie), he left the house.

Now the Hyuuga regretted it and wished he had remained home. He could still feel Tenten's soft, petite hand in his own, and her big doe eyes filled with longing: longing for him to stay. She had looked so adorable bundled in three blankets, her lids drooping, and her pink lips parted for air (her nose was too congested to breathe through). Her hair had been a tragedy, splaying out of her bun every which way, just like the sheets that had somehow collected on the bedroom floor.

Neji decided there was nothing more that he wanted to do at that moment, than hug his wife.

The Hyuuga reached to rub his temples, but paused, half way, as he came face to face with an empty room. The conference had ended, he realized, and he had been too caught up in reminiscing to notice. He glanced at his watch and cursed as he gathered his things. He wasn't sure he wanted to know how long he had sat alone in there like a fool. But at least no one had taken note of his absence, or was kind enough to let him be. Either way, frustration bubbled inside of him.

Stepping into the hall, taking great caution no one saw him, he strode to the elevators, his face contorted into an ugly frown. He had had enough of today. Before the corporate meeting, he had attended a conference with a client. The "client", a woman of about seventy-five years, clearly was a misinformed customer. First she had asked his opinion on her pillbox hat, and then had complained of her allergies, and finally, to make the Hyuuga's brain explode, she had pulled off her shoes and socks and counted the calluses on her feet. Oh yes, Neji still longed to wrap his cold fingers around her throat and squeeze the life out of her. He was a businessman! He did not have time for such nuisances.

Growling, he stepped out of the cart and headed to his office. He prayed his secretary had gone out to lunch for the thought of having to explain where he had been, flustered and embarrassed as he felt, did not appeal to him. He was pleased, then, to see that her desk was vacant.

Placing his things on his own desk, he swiveled his chair around to glance outside. It was snowing, gloomy, dark, and all together, pessimistic. Restraining a scoff, he turned again to stare at the dull décor of his suite. The walls were white and bare save for a small message board smothered in papers and tacks. The desks and shelves were all oak, and all relatively the same size (his desk was the biggest). The green carpet was immaculate, as was every corner of his office. Everything was in order much to the Hyuuga's dismay. He was too tired to work (he was sure if he ever saw another file again, he would not be able to contain the urge to shred it on the spot) and yet he was so restless. His leg bounced with impatience, and he tapped his fingers on his knee as he decided on a suitable activity in which to engage himself.

Ideas were formed and discarded in his mind for a few good minutes before he concluded he should simply lay his head on his desk and soak in the peace while still possible. He rested his skull on his arms and closed his eyes, breathing deeply to calm his fried nerves. However, the tranquility was broken by a raucous knock on the door. "Neji, my youthful friend, I have encountered a problem that only you, with your youthful mind, could fix!" a man in green exclaimed, peeking into his office.

The Hyuuga twitched in his chair before warily looking up at his colleague (best friend). "Lee?"

"Yes, Neji."

"Shut up." Lee blinked before giving Neji a blinding smile.

"I see it is your time of the month. You always do grow terribly cranky and irritable around the fourteenth. Rest assured I'll find someone else to stop the flooding toilets in the bathroom," the bushy browed man said, patting the Hyuuga on the head. Neji was too exhausted to bother swatting it away much less break his fingers. However, he did manage to say (hiss) this:

"I'm not a girl. I do not have a "time of the month". And if you touch my hair again, I'll shove you down a manhole. Got it?"

Lee grinned again, his facial expression pained as he tried to hold back laughter. Neji, in his opinion, needed someone to ruffle his feathers once and awhile. Quickly ducking out of the room to avoid another lecture and cackling down the hallway, Lee went in search for his idol Gai.

Neji sighed. He cared about Lee, he really did, but his friend tested the Hyuuga's patience much too frequently. Running his fingers through his hair and sitting upright, Neji decided eating would be the correct thing to do to dull the growing ache in his skull. He reached into his briefcase and took out a brown paper bag. He paused, however, to brush a finger over his name, hastily scribbled with permanent marker and encased in a heart. He furrowed his brows: this was not the lunch he had packed. He peeked inside the bag and pulled out a rose, a crinkled paper, and a sandwich wrapped in too many layers of foil.

"Tenten," he whispered, his eyes softening as he scanned the note. It read:

_Dear Neji (my wonderful husband),_

_Happy Valentine's Day! I know you have a ton of work to do (meetings, etc.) and that me being sick isn't helping matters, but I want to make sure you smile at least once today. Thus, I have packed you the cheesiest lunch ever! (And the only meal I can cook without blowing up our house.) I hope you enjoy it!_

_I LOVE YOU!_

_Your personal headache and lover,_

_Tenten_

_P.S. The original lunch you packed yourself was delicious. _

Neji felt a small smile tug at his lips. He chuckled as he tucked the letter into his shirt pocket. Tenten was really an entity of her own kind. He swore there was not one day he had lived where she had failed to surprise him. He reached for the sandwich, gingerly peeling away the layers of foil. When he finally laid his eyes upon his "meal" he nearly fell from his chair. There, among sheets of aluminum, was a crudely cut, heart-shaped, peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Neji felt his mind shut down and the world slow to a stop. The only three words that registered behind the sudden flow of emotion were "I love Tenten." Over and over again, they repeated themselves. It took all the strength he could muster to not bolt out the door in that instant and run home. He wanted to hold her, to thank her. The Hyuuga felt a jolt run through his system as an idea formed. He reached for the phone, dialing his wife's number.

Not a second later, he heard Tenten's voice greet him. She sniffed a good many times as she waited for him to answer.

"I love you," Neji said, his lips unable to form any other words. He pressed the receiver to his ear, his eyes fixing themselves on the rose. Laughter resounded on the other end, and the Hyuuga relished the fact he had made Tenten smile too.

"I love you too," the female whispered, surely wiping her nose on the back of her hand in the process. He could imagine her, sitting in the middle of their bed, the sheets all winkled and littered with magazines, movie boxes, food, and tissues. He would be stuck cleaning up the mess of course, but he didn't mind.

If it was for her, he didn't mind.

After saying goodbye, Neji picked up the sandwich.

Grinning, he took a bite.

…**..**

**A/N: That wasn't as fluffy as I wanted it to be. I seriously think I'm coming down with writer's block. Writing this felt like getting my teeth pulled. Not cool! **

**Despite all this, I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you for reading and please review! **


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